It starts with a spark. An idea that comes from nowhere, appearing suddenly and without warning, t It starts with a spark. An idea that comes from nowhere, appearing suddenly and without warning, triggered by a sight, a sound, a feeling, an overheard conversation, or even nothing at all. The author grabs that spark and plants it in the fertile “soil” of their brain. There they help it to grow as they pamper, shape, and mold it into a well-developed story. Some stories mature rapidly, becoming fully grown almost immediately. Others take more time to develop as the author considers and reconsiders how the story should flow. The finished story can be what the author intended from the beginning, or be completely different from the spark that started it all. Such is the wonder and amazement of the story growing process. There are no limits to the author’s imagination. A story can carry an idea straight through, or have pieces of the idea changed and re-changed until the author decide